Be Free
by evil-catgirl
Summary: Idea by ShiraxDiego (Guest) This time a story in which all our Ice age charakters are human but still in the same time. It takes place after the 4. Movie and of course, it is a DiegoXShira story :D


"If this continues, she'll kill anything else in the area, not that it bothers me that she's helping to increase our winter food supply." Manfred, the leader of their small village, pulled one of his best friends aside to talk to him about his new girlfriend. Diego was the name of the man who was reluctant to avert his eyes from a woman with long black hair. Everything about her screamed fighter and that everyone should their distance. But she also had the friendliest smile in the world. A little shy, though, but he also had to raise the corner of his mouth slightly when he saw Shira dealing with children who ran after them curiously after a successful hunt. Most of them thought it was great that a woman alone could hunt so much. But Shira did not have to do that anymore. To be alone.

"But?" Finally, the hunter managed to look at his buddy, who was slightly taller than h.

"But she should not overwork." Manny added, because it was good to have a lot of food, but bad if they did not come so fast too the processing and the dead meat had to lie in the sun.

"Is the subject from Ellie?" Inquired the hunter and the bigger one just nodded, because of course the chief's wife took care of all their people when it was more about mental problems. While Manny did not mind that the former pirate helps with the hunt, his wife saw that this rather slowly did it out of frustration. He, too, had to realize that and was forced to talk to Diego about it. That is why he stood here and couldn't see what his daughter was doing again. Yes, he promised to be more understanding, but that didn't mean that he couldn't look after her if he wanted to. Just to make sure that one of these youngsters allowed themselves not too much. But Manfred realized that he should come back out of his thoughts and actually explain more.

"She's worried about Shira, if she's really comfortable with us. Because her life suddenly changed drastically, and she needed a little time to get used to it. I know, you two don't have an easy past, but maybe a better future together."

"I think we stay just friends.." Diego started to answer and the bigger one rolled his eyes.

"Of course, just let your gaze lingers on her all day long. She'll never suspect anything, but you're not the only one here who is..should I say fascinated by her." Everybody looks after a man or a woman in the autumn, so that one is not alone in the cold winter days. What the leader could understand, but his Peaches is still too young for that. That's why he'll make it clear that every guy stays away from her.

"What?" His friend's shocked face brought the chief back in here and now again.

"Sooner or later, others will notice that there is absolutely nothing between you two and us the chance, even if you watch over her, like a wild beast its prey. Someday you too will become careless." With that, Manni sauntered away and the retarded man looked confusedly for a moment.

"I do not guard her at all." Diego mumbled into his beard before he looked back at her. Just to realize that Shira was not there anymore. Hurriedly he looked around for her and found her then on the other side of the place. His buddy was right, other men really looked after her too. He was so stupid to believe that no one dared approach her until ... well, until he had the courage to ensnare her. The last time he did that was a while ago and that did not end well. But that was all past. They both had good conversations with each other. Unfortunately, it was fine to be friendly with her, but he couldn't mention in the same tone whether they should spend the winter together. Her habitation did not seem so winter-proof. Until now, the woman also never had to worry about a permanent home.

Diego managed to kill a saber-toothed tiger, so he would probably manage it to court a Shira too. It will not end so badly. In the worst case, he also will lie death next to the silvery saber-tooth fur in her cabin, which was used in the past to deter people. Even without it, she could be dangerous just with a single glance and frighten someone.

"If you have nothing to do, then pay attention to Sid that he doesn't mess up the meat again. I know he also wants to help, but I also want to eat in the winter." Ellie moved to his side and then followed his gaze.

"Manny already talked to you." Then the man nodded.

"It's nice that she also shows the girls from the village how they can go out there alone if they have to. Many guys think we're too weak." She explained and she looked at the people who were all busy with other things in preparation for the winter.

"You know, your husband doesn't mean it that way. His protective instinct is just very pronounced." Diego tried to defend his friend, because he always had the feeling to do so. There was something in Manfred's past that sometimes made him overly zealous about his family. The hunter never really talked to the bigger one about it, but they all just had a hard time behind them.

"Nevertheless, I like to thank Shira and you that you two are a little more on my daughter's side when it comes to hunting and help her with it. If it only were on Manny, maybe in ten years, Peaches will be able to meet a man who has been well selected and he will have to look after her. But we all know that she has long since been considering whether to spend this winter with a boy. It doesn't help that the great chief tries to keep all young men away."

"You know, Shira likes to help her. But maybe somebody should tell our leader that Peache's best friend is slowly becoming a man too." Diego could not help but notice how Manny totally ignores the boy when it comes to protecting his daughter. Louis was a bit reserved, unlike the others. Also, this did not seem very strong at first glance. It reminded Diego of himself when he was a boy and did not really know where his strengths lay. He heard from Peaches that her friend does not like hunting so well, but he's supposed to be quite talented at fishing.

"Do not! The poor girl only has her best friend for her spare time, to distract her from the fact that everyone else is already thinking of getting married or at least spending the winter together. I can already see that next summer we will have many more Babys in the village." With that, the chief's wife pushed the hunter lightly in the side with her elbows and grinned slightly at him. At first he did not understand her allusion, but then followed a slight nod in the direction of Shira's dwelling. Embarrassed, the man turned away from her and put his hand over his face so no one would see how embarrassed he was.

"Ellie we have not .. I have already told your husband that we are just friends." The woman next to him was really impossible and her grin widened as well.

"Of course. That's why you always almost undress her with your eyes when she comes back sweaty from a successful hunt. Two days ago, you surely wanted to get closer to her and see where the pearls of sweat disappear from her face when they run down." More heat went into his face, because he thought something like that really once before. But Ellie didn't necessarily have to say it.

"You'd better see for yourself that Sid doesn't use all the herbs in what he does over there." Diego tried to distract her from the topic.  
"Give yourself a jerk and talk to her. You don't have to be her husband on spot. Sid do not put that in your mouth!" The last sentence went to the man, which wanted to show off in front of some ladies and now stuffed a chili pepper in the mouth. Nothing new from the guy. At least his buddy hasn't burned anything in the last few days. As much as it amused him to watch Sid doing that stupid thing again, now he had to do other things for better or worse. Afterward, Ellie only thought to tease him again. Of course, he would like to be with Shira, but he didn't want to push the woman to anything. She should settle in here first. Maybe he'll talk to her about this hunting frenzy first. Otherwise, there will soon be no animals around anymore.

He decided to get close to her home to think more about his approach. So that it didn't look too much, as if he was waiting for her. He took some wood to pick out which branches were good for spears. The young hunters were not so fast trained in it and therefore the hunting tools broke down quickly or landed in places where it was difficult to get them back. Diego himself also had three spears, although only one used for hunting. He simply couldn't throw away the other two, because there were too many memories on them. He got one from his father, with whom he also killed his first deer.

The other belonged to Soto and he certainly did not keep that damned thing because of the good times. No, he picked up the worthless piece of wood to always remember how easy it is to get lost in life. Yes, everyone should decide for themselves, but no one had the right to extinguish the lives of other people as they did back then. Even today he got nightmares of it. He always wanted to survive, but not put his life over that of others. Life seemed easy when you took what you wanted and when you wanted it. He never wanted to know whose blood stuck to Soto's spear, but how long would he have endured the madman's game if Manny and Sid had not turned up? Would he have ended the whole thing himself at some point and then he was just waiting for someone to take the decision from him and vilify his life? He didn't know anymore and didn't want to know it anymore.

"Are you collecting branches now?" A voice needed him out of his thoughts and he looked up. The woman he wanted to talk with looked down at him, grinning slightly. He also noticed that it seems to be getting dark.

"With your hunting speed, I have to look for a new work."

"Very charming. But would you like to come over to the lake with me?" He put aside his half-finished spears and got up. A walk with her through the undergrowth may not be a good idea, but when he looked at the moon, his steps became a little faster. Because now he knew that they could see better and he did not have to light a torch. Although the lake was not far from their village, every animal was drinking there, so they didn't live too close to it.

"So, since you've been living with us..for a while..What are you doing?" He turned quickly away from her, realizing that she was starting to undress.

"Do you always bathe in all that stuff?" The voice behind him asked in amusement. Did not it irritate her that he, a man standing next to her while she wanted to go bathing naked, Diego wondered. Well he also went mostly naked in the water before. But the last time, when he wasn't alone in the water, he did so with his friends as they tried to refresh themselves in a river while traveling.

"Do not tell me you're shy? Or maybe you've never seen a woman like that before?" He heard the lapping of the water that told him that Shira was already stepping into the lake. Her tone still teasing and at the same time challenging.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something." He tried to explain himself and hoped to distract from the situation. Finally, he was able to have such a normal conversation among adults. It did not bother him that she stood naked in the water behind him. Then she also stepped out of the water again.

"Do you not want to turn back to me?" Oh no, she was much closer to him now than before. What was she up to? Did she want to seduce him? Why?

"I .." For a moment he was speechless because she suddenly wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"It's okay if you do not want me permanently. But at least I could ask you for one night." She couldn't be serious, the man thought and shook her off. Only to turn around in the same moment. He did not let go of another moment and he closed his arms around her. He stroked her head with one hand and the other at her back.

"Ask? You don't have to ask me for anything. I do everything you want me to as soon as you say it. Everything, you hear me?! But please, don't do this to me. I'm just a man, too. We are good friends and I don't want you to find out tomorrow that it was a mistake." It would break his heart when that happens. He prefers to live at a distance forever, than to risk losing her altogether.

"I'm so glad." He heard it softly at his ear. Amazed, the hunter went back a little, but didn't let go. There was the next surprise when he felt two lips on his. Fleetingly, he enjoyed the contact, but then pushed her a little at the shoulders.

"Shira?" He added stunned and instinctively licked his lips. Damn, he wanted more. Much more. He shouldn't look down, because that did not help in the situation.

"You want me." She said happily.

"Yes, of course I want you. You don't even know how hard it is to be around you sometimes." Shira crossed her arms over her chest and turned away, pretending she was a little angry.

"You can hide that very well. I thought you were not interested in me because I don't look like the other women in the village." Diego immediately knew what she meant and touched her shoulder to make her look at him again.

"You are the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All the scars on you just make you more sexy. I can not wait to look at each one and hear their stories. Besides..." He stopped when he started dropping everything. Diego thought he was the one who didn't go through here as the most beautiful man. Three non-tiny strokes pulled from his forehead over his bald-shaven head. Scars he carried from a fight with a saber tooth. Not the only ones of this animal on his body.

Silently he looked to the lake, as he also stood naked in front of her. He tried to be fair, but now he didn't really know if that was a good idea.

"I don't want you to be in grateful, you know." He could not even look her in the face. He was such a coward

"Grateful? Oh, for the rescue from Gutts crew. Yeah, I have to admit, I considered that a while ago." He knew that she didn't feel that way and just wanted to say thank you.

"But you are stubborn. You have not come to me like everyone else before, and have asked for things. No, you just let me live here in peace." It sounded like a reproach from her now.

"All I wanted was for you to get used to it and know that you can decide what you want to do. I want you to be free." In the last sentence, he saw her face again and got a warm and beautiful smile.

"Since you brought me here so much time has passed. I was waiting for you to do something like some other men from the village. I saw your angry looks and thought that you would finally react but nothing happened. So I started to believe that I imagined that you sometimes undressed me with your eyes. Maybe because I wanted it so much myself." Diego sighed, as his buddies, Ellie, and a few more, also got his looks for this particular woman. How could she escape? So much for the unobserved hunter.

Hurriedly he stepped into the water, than a little shame came up in him. Shira had such an intense view that every rock would start to crumble. As soon as the water was over his hip, she briefly touched his right forearm to regain his attention. The moon seemed to give her even more shine. As if he had not been caught before by her breathtaking beauty. She looked down and her left hand brushed his right hand in the water.

"And what do we do now?" With that question, she came slowly closer. Diego's eyes fell back to her mouth, but first he grabbed her hand, which didn't leave his alone, and put it on his chest, where his heart pounded nervously under it. Determined, he searched her eyes.

"I'm a bit out of practice, but if you want to try it with me.." He didn't finish his sentence when she smiled happily, threw her arms around his neck and answered him with a kiss.


End file.
